The Venezuela national team let slip its last chance to reach the playoff for the 2026 World Cup after falling 6-3 to an already-qualified Colombia, while Bolivia pulled off a surprise 1-0 win over Brazil at the altitude of El Alto, snatching seventh place in the table from La Vinotinto.

From hope to heartbreak in Maturín

The Monumental Stadium in Maturín witnessed a night that began with hope and ended in frustration. Just three minutes in, Telasco Segovia opened the scoring with a strike that beat Kevin Mier, and later Josef Martínez restored Venezuela’s lead after a mistake from the Colombian goalkeeper.

At that point, Venezuela had the playoff spot in hand, but the story changed with the brilliance of an inspired Luis Javier Suárez, who scored four goals in just 25 minutes to silence the home crowd. Before that, Yerry Mina had leveled the match with a header off a James Rodríguez corner.

In the second half, Salomón Rondón pulled one back to make it 3-5, but soon after Jhon Córdoba struck again to extend the lead and seal the final 6-3 scoreline that crushed Venezuela’s hopes.

Bolivia shocks Brazil and takes the playoff spot

Over 4,500 kilometers away in El Alto, Bolivia did its part with a 1-0 victory over Brazil. Combined with Venezuela’s defeat, the result put La Verde in seventh place with 20 points. Thus, the team led by Fernando Batista finished eighth with 18 points, missing out on the chance to qualify for a World Cup for the first time.

It was a bitter ending for La Vinotinto, who went into the final matchday depending on themselves but were outplayed both on the scoreboard and in the standings. Colombia, meanwhile, calmly celebrated sealing qualification for a seventh consecutive World Cup, showcasing both solidity and firepower.